The Lost Child
by AngelSabar
Summary: Arthur and Merlin are the lone survivors of an ambush but never find out why bcause another mysterious prisoner breaks out and rescues them - who is she and what has she got to do with Merlin?
1. Chapter 1

The situation was unbelievable. It really was. How on earth he'd managed to get into such a ridiculous situation he would never understand. He was glad Merlin was here with him though – despite the fact that he didn't quite know how the boy survived. When all Arthur's companion knights fell and he himself was captured, Merlin wasn't killed – he was simply brought with him. The ambushers were hard to read, they were silent and harsh and Arthur hoped that the feeble plan forming in his head would work. He glanced at Merlin who, with his bloodied face and blood stained shirt looked as terrible as he felt, and he felt a slim ray of hope – Merlin was always there and if Merlin was there then Arthur would remember who he was; he would remember and he would fight for his honour, for his friends, for Camelot and for Gwen (even if she did refuse to love him).

They walked for hours, well – they were dragged for hours with their arms tied behind their backs and their torsos regularly beaten with a large whipping stick by their captors. Arthur despised the undignified weakness of it all but he was working out his escape plan and he held onto his fragile hope.

After what seemed like days but was a matter of mere hours they trudged into a makeshift camp in the forest. Mud soiled their clothes and leaves decorated their hair as their tunics were torn from the snagging branches of the grasping trees they had passed. Simply – they were a mess and their sore, weak bodies feared another beating.

"Ah! And the company returns triumphant I see!" A voice called from beyond the broad man stood in front of Arthur.

"Sir, we have the Prince Arthur and his servant Merlin." The man – who was obviously the leader of the ambush party replied and the voice chuckled in answer,

"Well tie them to that tree Brovin, I have another matter to deal with first." Arthur stumbled as he and Merlin were dragged to a nearby oak tree and tied side by side.

"Hmmn, any chance of escape then sire?" Merlin asked in a vain attempt at his usual manner, Arthur simply looked at him and then returned his attention to the clearing of tents they were situated on the outskirts of.

The voice belonged to the man who was clearly the leader of this camp. He was tall and his shaggy black hair framed his piercing blue eyes as he turned elegantly towards a commotion from the left side of the camp. Arthur allowed his eyes to also drift to the area and he saw a hunched figure being dragged into the arena. His eyes took a moment to register that the beaten, weakened creature was a young woman whose ragged brown hair lay brush-like around her gaunt face. A sharp intake of breath tore his eyes from the woman to Merlin as his ears caught a whispered sentence,

"No. Please please no." Puzzlement pierced Arthur's heart but the stricken pain in his servants face stopped him from probing.

"Oh my little warrior girl, we have met before – I do believe?" The girl was forced to her knees and a rough hand entwined itself in her ragged brown hair and heaved her face skyward so that her vivid forest green eyes met the ice blue ones of the leader. Arthur waited for her reply, as did the rest of the camp, but all that was received was a stony silence, "You will answer me." The leader commanded and the young woman did so, she projected the ball of spit so that it landed at the very toes of his boots. Fury flitted across his face and his pale hand reached out, snapping a smack across the woman's delicate face. Merlin whimpered and Arthur began to wonder whether he knew the girl in question.

"Speak child!" The leader roared and the whipping stick came down heavily on her slender back. Her whole body rippled with the aftershock and a ragged gasp ripped its way from her throat but she still refused to speak. "Speak to me girl!" There was a slow intake of breath and then a sweet, tuneful voice roughened and made hoarse by the pain of her beatings filled the camp clearing,

"I should not speak to one so arrogant as you sir." The hand returned to her face and left her cheek flaming once more, "I should not speak to one so arrogant as you, sir, if you refuse to talk to me as your equal for I am a human being and not some creature placed here for your tortuous pleasure." The leader laughed once more at her speech,

"You are not of this world girl; you are not my equal."

"I am as much of this world as you, sir, my very essence belongs to this world and I have more connection to this earth than you would dream of." The leader stopped in his tracks for he had been pacing the earth,

"If you are so noble then show me your equality."

"Oh no." Merlin's whimper was audible only to Arthur and it simply increased his curiosity. He felt this inquisitiveness conflicting with another emotion though – his anger – as this girl was obviously being ill-treated and abused.

"Very well sir. My equality to you or to mankind?"

"To me." The smirk was evident in his voice,

"Then you asked for this punishment and I hold you responsible for your men." The young woman bowed her head and the man behind her fell. She twisted her body and tugged the knife from its sheath within his boot and this she proceeded to send in a small spin which – when it landed point down – cut the bindings from her wrists and then she stood.

She was not tall, nor did she look particularly strong but there was an aura of power surrounding her and then the battle commenced. She placed her bare foot against the chest of the man whose knife she had stolen and she plunged the knife through his heart. She then removed his sword and tested the weight in her hand. She nodded her head, seemingly satisfied and then swung in a lightening quick movement to parry a blow from another man.

The fight was swift and bloody but there was an elegance to it as it seemed like the woman was dancing as she twirled and twisted. She leapt into the air, reaching a height no normal man would ever be able to reach and she landed behind an opponent whom she then impaled on the blade. Soon, the dance was over and the men who had been immediately involved in the fight were dead, their blood staining the earth around them. There was a roar of fury and the woman looked up to see another man running at her. She twisted just in time to parry his blow and they began to dance. Their bodies connected and distanced as the blades became blurs. The girl turned, bringing her arms up to parry a blow aimed at her shoulder and her forest green eyes connected with the deep blue ones of Merlin. She seemed not to see Arthur as the world froze and – for a moment – she stared at the boy as if he were the most precious thing in the world. Then he momentum carried her round and the spell was broken. She drove her sword horizontally through the mans waist – cutting him in half. She then bowed to the leader who had backed away, ashen faced and shaking.

"I am more worthy than you sir." She said and she ran to the two young men tied at the tree.

"Stay still." Was all the warning she gave before forcing the sword through the ropes and releasing them, "now RUN!!" She commanded, pushing Arthur in front of her and trusting that Merlin would follow.

They ran for their lives.

When their weak, fatigued bodies finally refused to go on they slumped to the ground in the shade of another oak tree.

"I am Prince Ar-"

"Yes." She cut him off, "I know who you are sire and I apologise for my disgraceful appearance." Arthur smiled weakly,

"Yes, well...this is my servant Merlin."

"Merlin." The young woman repeated the name and felt its power on her tongue, "my Merlin." She whispered. "I am Aella Serenity Vildher. I am the lost child of the Seranuov Vestium." Arthur's confused expression remained and Merlin elaborated,

"The Seranuov Vestium, also called the Serenity Warriors were a clan of guardians." When no understanding dawned Aella continued,

"The Seranuov Vestium protect the people and creatures of their worlds. I am the Lost Child – I protect several worlds as my birth world is unknown. It is said that I will know my home when I know my love but I will always be under the guardianship of the seven worlds of lost magic. These are the worlds in which magic is banned, feared or misused; it is my employment to correct the imbalance when things go wrong and this I have been doing for fifty five years. As the Lost Child I remain in the image of a seventeen year old girl until I know my home." Arthur was finally beginning to understand,

"So, you're called Aella Serenity Vildher, you are at least seventy-two because you've been working for fifty-five years, you're the Lost Child, you guard several worlds of lost magic and you belong to the Seranuov Vestium."

"Yes." Arthur then realised that Merlin and Aella hadn't spoken to each other ; he recalled Merlin's reaction to Aella's appearance and Aella's look during battle as well as the way she had caressed his name.

"Hold on; if you only know your home when you know your love then why are you so at ease here?"

"Because I am at home." She replied simply, before Arthur could ask any more questions she stood.

"Do not force me to damage you as I would have to if you take action against my use of sorcery but I have not enough strength for a fight and we have company." She said this so directly, that Arthur took a moment to realise what she had said and by that time her hands were moving in a fluent, uninterrupted pattern. No words came from her mouth but her hands never stopped and the wind began to change course around them. It stirred up the leaves from the forest floor and formed them into the shape of a woman. A commotion came from the other side of the leaf woman and then a small group of men carrying weapons of various disguises became visible. The halted at the sight of Aella's woman and then they watched as if mesmerised by the beauty of the leaves as the woman danced before them. As Aella's hands weaved their pattern the men became more and more hypnotised and suddenly, the dancing stopped. The leaves fell abruptly back to the floor, the wind stilled and the men fell with the leaves to the earth.

"You shall not know who I am. You shall not remember this event and you shall not speak of your experience to another living creature, stone or droplet of water. The wind, earth and fire will hear no speech of this or you shall suffer at the hands of the whirlwind of serenity. You should become like newborns if you do not obey this command and so the choice is yours. Sleep until morning my dear children." Aella finished her monologue with a kiss blown to the fallen men and then she motioned for Arthur and Merlin to follow her.

They reached a wooden hut after some hours and there Aella spoke again to Arthur,

"Do not seek to punish me for the events back there sire. I did not harm the men, I gave them a new beginning. I am Aella Serena Vildher which is translated into Whirlwind Serenity Wild-one. I am strong in my connection to the wind and yet I seek not to bring harm with my powers but to bring peace and serenity to the worlds I guard. I am known as the Wild-one for I am the Lost-One, I am untameable and I am the strongest of my race. I am the powerful child of the Seranuov Vestium and I am cast out because of this. I have never known my parents and I have no siblings, I was educated by an old man in between the worlds who taught me the art of the fight and the skill of magic. I wish only to correct an imbalance present in this world – it is an imbalance of darkness and I must correct it with actions of light unless the world should fall into the darkest oblivion. I mean no harm sire and I should finish my business as soon as is realistically possible." Arthur looked at the young woman,

"What do you do when the worlds are in balance?"

"I practise my skills." A sadness crept into the forest eyes, "It is lonely to be the Lost Child." Unbidden, Merlin stepped forward and took her delicate hands in his, their skin tones were exactly the same shade of creamy white,

"You are not lost any more Aella. You are home."

"Yes." She smiled and Arthur forgot about her filthy hair, her bloodstained clothing and her soiled boots, he simply saw the ray of pure happiness that connected Aella to the world and to Merlin and he felt overwhelmed – and slightly awkward.

"You are home?" Arthur asked, knowing he was being stupid,

"Yes. I am home because I am with Merlin."


	2. To clear up some confusion

Hi, sorry about any confusion brought about by the information provided in the Merlin Lost Child story.

Thanks to unicorndiva for your review and I want to clear up the confusion.

Because Aella is a character separate from my fanfics – as in she was created and then fit into the Merlin story I wanted to write rather than actually being created to fit into the story her information is a little hazy. In other words – she was created and then the story but she has her own story completely separate to this. I was working on a soul-mate type of principle where the Lost Child would know her home when she knew her love and she would know her love when she sees them – almost like imprinting in the Twilight Saga. So when Aella sees Merlin she knows that he is her love. The same principle works the other way so Merlin knows that Aella is his love when he sees her and because he sees her before she sees him he knows who she is. It is fated for them to meet and they both subconsciously know who the other is – but they have never met before in reality. Aella guards Merlin's world but she has never before met Merlin so she could not stay with him previously.

So, Aella and Merlin only know that they are meant for each other when they set eyes on one another which is why Merlin is scared for her when she is being beaten because he already knows who she is – but she has not yet seen him so she does not know who he is. When she sees him that is when she knows.

Merlin has done some research into the Seranuov Vestium due to his magical studies and that is why he knows about what Aella tries to explain to Arthur.

I hope this clears up any confusion and I'm sorry about this but I now hope that people can enjoy the story and not be quite so confused. I'll keep up the excuse that this was written with a character not especially designed for this story and that I wrote it at half past eleven last night. So, I hope thing are a little clearer now because I understand that my short stories often can be confusing because of my writing style – I do prefer novels; but anyway, I hope this helps. Best wishes, AngelSabar


	3. My little whirlwind

It was unmistakable. The air of sorrow that haunted Merlin was overpowering and he had finally had enough.

"Merlin, something is upsetting you and I can't think what it is." Merlin looked at the young prince and knew that he really wanted to ask what was wrong but he didn't know how to phrase it. Merlin took a deep breath and answered his master,

"Aella has gone away." The confusion on Arthur's face was unmistakable and then the young prince spoke again,

"I thought she loved you? I thought this was her home?" Merlin watched as Arthur sat on the chair situated just behind him and then he began to try and explain the politics and inside workings of the Seranuov Vestium to Arthur Pendragon of Camelot.

"It is and...she does sire. Aella is the lost child of the Seranuov Vestium; she guards several worlds – those of the lost magic." Arthur was nodding,

"Yes, yes, I know that much. What I want to know is why she left." Merlin sighed and bowed his head; it was easier to explain when Arthur's gaze was not on his.

"I should start at the beginning." Arthur recognised Aella's trademark speech with the odd words slipped into her sentences that gave her a wise, powerful and respectful tone. It was unnerving to hear the same tone come from Merlin's mouth. "As you know Aella and I were destined to be." Arthur bit back a laugh because as much as he knew this to be true it still sounded ridiculous for his manservant to be talking about fate and destiny. "Aella was born on this world but only her parents knew this. As she entered life they departed it...leaving her an orphan before she opened her eyes." Merlin's hands were fidgeting and Arthur knew that he was simply reciting what Aella had told him – there was no way Merlin would speak in the way he was doing otherwise. Aella's almost archaic language laced the monologue explanation. " The elders of the Seranuov Vestium – the ones who inhabit the between worlds – collected Aella but she had already entered the between world void – the power of serenity inside her guided her to the between worlds where she was found." Arthur could feel this going way above his head and was thankful for the abrupt knock that sounded on the door.

"Come in." He called and the door swung open to reveal a knight in his red cape and silver chain mail,

"The king wishes to speak with you sire." He said by means of explanation and Arthur nodded,

"I will be there shortly." He replied and he stood, Merlin knew that his time was out – for now – but that Arthur would press the matter further later.

As Merlin helped Arthur out of his tunic, the young prince asked again for information on Aella,

"Merlin, why has Aella gone – and I don't need her life story just why she went." Merlin looked into his master's bright blue eyes and sighed,

"I wasn't going to say any more about her life anyway. Because Aella was brought up between worlds and grew to be the most powerful child of the Seranuov Vestium, she was assigned seven worlds to guard. These worlds are known as the worlds of lost magic – fitting for a lost child no? – and Aella's job is to fix things that go wrong. If magic gets um...imbalanced in darkness – so if the world has an unusual time of terror and sadness that it's not supposed to have then Aella eneters the world and uses her magic to fix the problem – she may heal a dying princess or stop a war. Or she may simply cure a baby of a disease, but she does something to fix the imbalance and make the world right again. She also does the same if there is an imbalance of light; if a world has a period of prosperity and happiness that it is not destined to have then Aella night have to kill a tradesman, sink a ship or curse a king. Aella's job is not easy but she is fair and she doesn't like causing punishment and pain to innocent people – but sometime she has to." Merlin sighed and looked away from Arthur, tidying away his clothes as he continued his explanation, "Aella found her home when she saw me – she found her home but she is still the lost child, the wild-one and she is still the guardian of seven worlds. Her duties have not lessened and she is at work now – only this time she has been away for three months and...I miss her." Arthur examined his servant and noticed how his shoulder drooped and his walk was more of a trudge than his normal skip.

"I never understood why you made such a racket when we first saw Aella in that camp." Merlin turned and smiled at the blonde prince,

"Aella had not seen me and did not realise that we were...lovers. I was the first to set eyes on her, if it had been the other way around she would have known me but because I saw her first I knew who she was, I knew she was my other half but I couldn't do anything, I had to watch them beat and ridicule her and do nothing. I've never felt so...powerless since you used me as a battering ram." Arthur smirked at that memory and then returned to business,

"So you knew her before she knew you. Ah...and you're all upset because little lover girl has left you all alone and gone off to work." Merlin looked pointedly at Arthur,

"Aella risks her life every time she obeys the call to enter a foreign world. Look what happened when she tried to work here. In the world she is now in magicians do not have a trial but are killed on sight – she narrowly escaped death the last time she was there and she was only there for five days, this time she had been away for three months and I haven't heard a word from her. All I get is this void and all I can do is hope she isn't dead." Arthur tried to shrug off the shame but he failed and – being extremely unlike his father – he said,

"Merlin I'm sorry. If you need some leave I'd be quite happy to..."

"No! Sir no!" Merlin's outburst was shocking but Arthur simply nodded,

"Very well. She'll be fine Merlin, stop worrying." Merlin turned and extinguished the candle, allowing Arthur to slip into bed before also extinguishing the candle beside the luxurious four poster bed.

As Merlin left the room Arthur felt the first niggling fingers of worry – if Aella did die how would Merlin cope? And without Merlin how would he cope with the pressures his father put on him? He relied on Merlin to keep him sane and Merlin relied on Aella to be there whilst Aella was relying on pure instinct to survive in a brutal and distant world. Their lives were – at present rather fragile and Arthur didn't easily succumb to sleep.

Merlin strolled down the corridor and headed towards the house he shared with Aella – it was next to the one he had shared with Gaius and he was still the old man's apprentice even with Aella in his life. Aella. He brought to his mind the picture of her as she left on this job; her bark brown hair was tied firmly back by a piece of cord and her forest green eyes had poured love into Merlin's soul,

"I love you Merlin." She had whispered in that perfect tuneful voice. She had pressed her lips sweetly against his and then turned away without another word. Merlin had watched her elegant, figure clad in the black leather she often wore when going on a job and he felt a void open up in him. It was as if he was only half whole, as if the other half of his soul walked away with Aella. He knew asking her to stay would be selfish. He had witnessed the pain she experienced as an imbalance became evident in one of her assigned worlds. The pain crippled her for anything up to an hour before she could regain her composure. The pain was the only reason she would leave her home – but she would always return when her task was complete. Merlin remembered the time when the pain had clouded her clear green eyes for the first time in his presence; they had been sharing their love for each other when it came and it was uncontrollable. Merlin knew how much Aella loved him and how much she hated leaving him. He knew that she only left because of the pain and her compulsion to bring serenity to the people she was responsible for; her desire for serenity was why she was so named and it was these two compulsions which drove her back into the dark worlds she had to guard. Merlin knew she loved him so dearly but he couldn't stand not knowing where she was, or how she was. If only he knew.

A gentle breeze caressed his face and he thought he caught a scent of Aella's distinct forest glade smell of the wind. The fingers of the air traced his features and he swore he felt the gently press of warm lips against his own mouth.

"I will return my love." The wind seemed to whisper and he thanked every being around that his prayer had been answered. He knew she was well. He knew she would return and he felt another surge of love as he smiled to himself and uttered,

"My little whirlwind."


	4. Katarina

A/N Final Chapter – I think – I wasn't going to write another one but it just happened so here it is. Set a couple of years in the future but whilst Arthur is still Prince and Merlin still his manservant.

This attraction was stupid. Stupid, ridiculous and downright wrong – very typically Arthur. He knew he shouldn't find her attractive with her slightly haggard appearance and willow-branch figure but he did. He knew that she was the wife of a servant, a citizen of Camelot and that was all – a person – but he knew her true identity. He knew that the little girl who raced around the tiny garden on the outskirts of the city could very well lose her mother at any moment because of her race. The woman laughed as she chased the young girl around and then straightened as Arthur approached. She settled gracefully into a low curtsey with a smile and a bow of her head,

"Sire." She said in her tuneful voice. She then returned to her full – yet still short – height and embraced her husband. Even though they were not open to public affection she held the pale man close and pressed her lips against his.

"Merlin." She whispered before pulling away and calling her daughter to order, "Katarina, come show your respect to Prince Arthur!" Even Arthur himself wanted to kneel at the commanding authority in her voice and he smiled. The young woman's forest green eyes flashed with vitality as her daughter bowed to the prince and hugged her father. "Well, you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink" she smiled before sending the little girl toddling on her way.

Aella lead the way around into the house where Arthur sat in his usual chair.

"Should you stay for tea sir?" Aella asked gently, Arthur met her vivid green eyes and tried to contain the flush of heat that threatened to overwhelm him,

"I would like that, Aella." She smiled and nodded before tugging on an apron and turning her back to Merlin,

"Tie the strings dear." Merlin chuckled and did as he was told. As Arthur watched the attractive Lost Child bustle about the kitchen putting the finishing touches to the tea of fresh bread, cold ham and cheese with an apple crumble for desert, he considered how Merlin had grown into his role of husband and father. The young, lanky servant had matured whilst his master stayed the same and Arthur watched as the love that tied Aella and Merlin together became embedded in their home. He realised that the fire burning merrily in the sire place and the old oaken furniture that was almost too big for the room seemed to hum with the happiness of the household. Katarina chose that moment to come running through the door and up to her mother who looked down at the raven haired girl with a love so heartbreakingly pure that Arthur felt a lump form in his throat.

"Mummy, I don't feel very well." The little child was in tears and Merlin scooped her up into his arms,

"What's wrong baby girl?" He asked softly and Katarina began to beg for the pain to stop. Arthur felt like an intruder as Aella shot Merlin a fearful look and then made him sit on the other available chair. She crouched down so that her face was level with her daughter's and placed her hand against the small forehead.

"She's burning up." Arthur noticed how Aella's demeanour began to change; subtly at first but then more obviously. "If she is sensitive to the imbalance I will murder those traitorous elders as soon as I set eyes on their foul council." She hissed before her own pain forced her to double over. Merlin met his master's startled eyes and his own flashed with amber fire. Katarina lay limply in his arms as he eased her pain, putting her into a deep slumber, but he could do nothing as he watched his wife fight the agony of her race.

"Merlin." She whispered. Merlin felt a tear drop from his pale blue eye, "I love you." She sighed before obeying the call of the Seranuov Vestium and disappearing.

Merlin looked at Arthur again before he crumpled. Arthur took the sleeping girl from his servant's arms and laid her in her cot before returning to Merlin and taking him into his arms.

"What if she dies Arthur? What if..." Arthur pressed his hand against Merlin's head,

"She won't die Merlin. She's Aella Emrys, she is the best warrior and most powerful sorcerer of the Seranuov Vestium, she is your wife and my friend, she will live. She'll come back through that door and give you the biggest kiss you have ever known before holding Katarina and cooking your dinner. Your love is the strongest I have ever known – she will not die."

Arthur knew how stupid his attraction to Aella was. She was powerful and yet humble, beautiful and yet poor, free and yet so deeply in love. He knew it wasn't just Aella he wanted – it was Merlin's life. He wanted the beautiful baby girl and the perfect wife. He wanted a simple house so saturated with love that anyone who entered it was richer than any king. He wanted what his servant had and he knew it was ridiculous. But something called to him and when he lay between the sheets of his four poster bed that night he dreamt, once again, of the goddess of a wife that belonged to Merlin Emrys, the most powerful sorcerer and most secretive young man in Camelot.


End file.
